girl
GURL
Girl (noun) means a female child. Example: “The girl skipped happily down the street.”
noun
1
A female child.
"The girl skipped happily down the street."
"They have two boys and one girl."
"The little girl waved from the window as the bus drove away."
2
A young woman, informally.
"She's been best friends with the same girls since school."
"Some of the girls from my office are meeting for dinner tonight."
"That girl at the next table is reading the same book as me."
3
One's girlfriend.
"He introduced his girl to the whole family."
"He bought flowers for his girl on their anniversary."
"Is that your girl waiting for you outside the cinema?"
4
A daughter.
"Their girl just started university."
"Their girl is learning to play the violin at school."
"We are very proud of our girl, who passed her driving test."
How to use girl
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA female child or young woman, or informally, one's girlfriend or daughter.
When to use it
Calling an adult woman a "girl" can read as informal, affectionate, or (depending on context and tone) patronizing — read the room.
Common pairings
little girl
a girl's best friend
girl next door
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Word forms
- Plural
- girls
- Third person singular
- girls
- Past tense
- girled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ skipped happily down the street.
Etymology
From Middle English gerle/girle, once used for a child of either sex, of uncertain deeper origin.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for girl
See all rhymes for girl →Frequently asked questions
What does “girl” mean?
The word “girl” means a female child. In plain terms, a female child or young woman, or informally, one's girlfriend or daughter.
How do you pronounce “girl”?
“Girl” is pronounced GURL (/ˈɡɜɹl/ in IPA).
How do you use “girl” in a sentence?
Here is “girl” used in a sentence: “The girl skipped happily down the street.”
What is another word for “girl”?
Words with a similar meaning to “girl” include babe, bint, bird, cake, chick and colleen.
What is the opposite of “girl”?
The opposite of “girl” — its antonyms — are woman and boy.
What part of speech is “girl”?
“Girl” is a noun.
Where does the word “girl” come from?
The word “girl” comes from Middle English. From Middle English gerle/girle, once used for a child of either sex, of uncertain deeper origin.
Is “girl” a common word?
“Girl” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between a girl and a woman?
The difference is age and maturity. A girl is a female child, roughly from birth through the teenage years. A woman is an adult female, generally from around eighteen onward. As a girl grows up, she becomes a woman. In casual speech "girl" is sometimes used for adult women, though many prefer "woman."
At what age does a girl become a woman?
There is no single fixed point, but the change is usually tied to reaching adulthood, commonly around eighteen, the typical age of legal majority. Puberty, which happens earlier, marks physical maturing but not adulthood itself. So the shift from girl to woman is gradual, and different cultures and contexts draw the line differently.
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